We again welcome the year 2005 with great anticipation for developments in the Work of God’s Church in the Philippines. We have made progress from last year’s difficulty that was caused by our desire to change the name of the church in the Philippines as required by the Home Office that is acceptable to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Now we felt relieved that we have successfully found the church’s name for the Philippine Work that was already approved by the SEC. The name that we have now is United Church of God, AIA Pilipinas, Inc. Though we have a new name, we are still connected internally to the UCGIA (the Home Office) through the Rules of Association.

The Philippine church can now look forward to and expect greater and faster growth, with the continued support of the church’s leadership from the Home Office.

The starting month of the year 2005 has been positive and fruitful for the Philippine Work when Mr. Jim Franks visited the country. [Editor’s note: For more information, please see the banner article on page 1]. Together with Mr. David Baker, the local leadership and members have been benefited from a series of lectures and presentations done during their visits. It is indeed a blessing for the Church.

The Work in the Visayas continues to bear fruit. In Bacolod, we have one baptism in the person of Gilda Gabuya that took place during the church outing held in Canonoy Beach Resort in Hinigaran, which is 53 kilometers from Bacolod. In Sabang (Baybay, Leyte), another baptism was performed when Leonora Belarma committed herself to follow God and live His way of life. The first Sabbath of February also showed more fruit for the church in Isabel, Leyte when four people were added to God’s family through baptism. They are: Consolacion Almozera, Marian Atchuela, Leah Atchuela, and Celestino Cabonegro.

The increase in membership in Isabel, including their families, posed a problem for us to seek a venue for Sabbath services that could accommodate us. Presently, we are meeting in the house of the Merino family. We have been using the place since we began our services in 2002.
Last January 17, we made our first trip to Sabah for the year 2005. As in the previous visits, the brethren were happy to see us and they received us joyfully. One member said, “This is one of the things that convinced me that I am in the true Church and that God is concerned about us—even though how few we are in number, and how far the distance from the main core of the membership, we are still being attended to by God’s representatives.”

Nineteen people attended our Sabbath service and Bible study on January 22, although on account of distance, about six people who used to attend were not able to come. In our stay in Semporna, discussion covered the plans and preparation for the coming Festivals of God (including the Feast of Tabernacles) to the pressing problem of acquiring the citizenship status of many of our brethren and their families. Presently, in the Betoy family, there are two who already have their identification cards, making them recognized citizens of the land. Mrs. Ruperta Betoy is actively pursuing the papers for the rest of her family.

I have high hopes that with God’s intervention for His people, our brethren will succeed in acquiring the identification papers so that they will have no worry in how they live and work in Sabah.

—Reported by Florante Siopan, pastor of the Visayas congregations